Page 105 - Materials Chemistry, Second Edition

5.2 The environmental assessment—LCA 101
5.2.1.4 Interpretation
Interpretation is the last phase of an LCA, which is made up of summary and discussion
about inventory analysis and impact assessment. The weakness of a product or a craft process
will be identified, and relevant suggestions will be offered (ISO, 2006b).

5.2.2 Research progress
The research related to the environmental management standards ISO 14040 and ISO 14044
made by the International Standardization Organization (ISO) have the most impact on LCA,
which reflects the research consensus of LCA all over the word. At present, the main research
directions of LCA include inventory analysis methods and impact assessment methods. The
theory of the inventory analysis method, which places emphasis on normalizing the data ac-
quisition, is reaching maturity. The research of the impact assessment impact consists of an
assessment index system, impact assessment characterization model, the normalization of the
assessment results, and so on. It is reflected in a rising series of environmental damage types,
building mathematical models of life loss, and measuring and determining the toxicity of the
pollutants to human health and ecosystems (Hertwich et al., 1999). Up to now, the method-
ology and reference system of the LCIA is still developing forward continuously. There is no
uniform standard accepted generally. There are different kinds of methods proposed, inter-
nationally, to evaluate the impact, such as eco-scarcity method (Hanssen, 1999), environmen-
tal priority solution (EPS) method (Steen et al., 2019), eco-indicator method (Spriensma, 1999),
and environmental design industrial product (EDIP) method (Wenzel et al., 2000). The char-
acteristics and weight approaches used by the environmental impact assessment methods
above are listed in Table 5.1 (Hanssen, 1999; Finnveden, 1997).

TABLE 5.1 Summary of some LCIA methodologies that include weighting approaches.
Eco-
Assessment method scarcity EPS Eco-indicator EDIP LIME
Major version 1991 1992 1995 1997 2003
1997 1997 1999 2003
2000
The range of application Switzerland World Europe or Denmark Japan
Netherlands
The weighting selection of the Average √
characterization factors value
Specific scope √ √ √
Goal-distance √ √
method
Expert √
decision
Monetization √ √
method